WHAT HAPPENED ON 26. JANUARY
Want to find out what all happened on 26. January

American Civil War: Virginia rejoins the Union. (26. January 1870)

Troops loyal to The Mahdi conquer Khartoum, killing the Governor-General Charles George Gordon. (26. January 1885)

The world's largest diamond ever, the Cullinan weighing 3,106.75 carats (0.621350 kg), is found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa. (26. January 1905)

The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III is officially introduced into British Military Service, and remains the second oldest military rifle still in official use. (26. January 1907)

Glenn H. Curtiss flies the first successful American seaplane. (26. January 1911)

Richard Strauss' opera Der Rosenkavalier receives its debut performance at the Dresden State Opera. (26. January 1911)

The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of the U.S. Congress. (26. January 1915)

Finnish Civil War: A group of Red Guards hangs a red lantern atop the tower of Helsinki Workers' Hall to symbolically mark the start of the war. (26. January 1918)

Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland launches the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer. (26. January 1920)

Saint Petersburg, Russia, is renamed Leningrad. (26. January 1924)

The Indian National Congress declares 26 January as Independence Day or as the day for Poorna Swaraj ("Complete Independence") which occurred 17 years later. (26. January 1930)

The Apollo Theater reopens in Harlem, New York City. (26. January 1934)

German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact is signed. (26. January 1934)

Spanish Civil War – Catalonia Offensive: Troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy take Barcelona. (26. January 1939)

World War II: The first United States forces arrive in Europe landing in Northern Ireland. (26. January 1942)

World War II: The Red Army begins encircling the German Fourth Army near Heiligenbeil in East Prussia, which will end in destruction of the 4th Army two months later. (26. January 1945)

World War II: Audie Murphy in action that will later win him the Medal of Honor. (26. January 1945)

The Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory sees first light under the direction of Edwin Hubble, becoming the largest aperture optical telescope (until BTA-6 is built in 1976). (26. January 1949)

The Constitution of India comes into force, forming a republic. Rajendra Prasad is sworn in as its first President of India. Observed as Republic Day in India. (26. January 1950)

Black Saturday in Egypt: rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. (26. January 1952)